Adorning the Beauty in Mirrors: Reflections of Mirrors in Life

Despite the flourishing of cast bronze mirrors in the Qing dynasty, the classical beauty of archaic bronzes from the Han to Tang dynasties continued to be the choice for use among members of the imperial family. Not only were many stands created for these ancient mirrors, even inkstones were also made in the shape of Tang lobed mirrors to add beauty and interest to the scholar’s studio table.

In the Kangxi reign, Western missionaries brought European glass mirrors and boxes with mirrors to China and offered them as precious tribute to the court, much to the appreciation of the emperor. In 1696, the Kangxi emperor had a glass factory established that strived to produce glassware, including glass mirrors, marking a departure from the tradition of bronze mirrors in Chinese culture over more than two millennia. The imperial workshops at the Qing court had frames with a variety of materials, such as jade, bronze, wood, ivory, and enamel, produced for its glass mirrors, also adding new and different Western elements that enriched the aesthetics of mirrors used at the Qing court.